BOGOTA: Officials were scrambling to free survivors Saturday after a mudslide brought on by heavy rains in northwest Colombia killed at least 34 people and injured dozens on a busy highway.

The mudslide, which happened Friday afternoon, covered a roadway that connects the cities of Quibdo and Medellin in the Pacific province of Choco, authorities said in a statement.

Rescuers and canines from across Colombia were dispatched to the scene to search for injured people, the statement added. Mud had completely engulfed several cars on the road.

"We lived a very sad weekend for Choco, our people feel the pain of the victims," said Choco Governor Nubia Cordoba Curi in the statement.

Images on social media showed the moment a large piece of land dislodged from a mountain and fell on top of several cars that were moving along the flooded road below.